Together they will plan a rehabilitation program designed to have the 25-year-old ready to race in the Australian Athletics Tour starting next month.

Pearson strained her rectus femoris, part of the quadriceps muscle at the front of the thigh, in a 120m handicap race in Victoria last Saturday.

It is a tricky injury to repair because the muscle plays such a key role for hurdlers in both their lead and trail legs.

"Sally sounded pretty good when I spoke to her," Hannan said.

"We'll have to be cautious and take her training back a peg or two."

Queensland's Pearson would be track and field's sole winner and one of 15 Australian gold medallists, according to an Olympic Games forecast released yesterday.

An Australian Olympic Committee benchmark study predicted the national team would finish fourth on the gold medal tally and eighth overall.

The AOC is aiming for a top-five overall finish in London, and is just off the pace despite inspirational efforts this month by the Kookaburras, who won the Champions Trophy for a record fourth successive time, and the sailors, who won three events at the world championships in Perth.

Heavyweights China (104 medals), the US (86) and Russia (77) will dwarf Australia's expected haul of 34, this country's lowest total in two decades.

Host nation Great Britain (58) has been tipped to topple Australia in their much anticipated duel.

The predictions, the last set for this year, are based on results at world titles and major championships in 2011.

AOC president John Coates said the expected tally reflected the gaping difference in funding between nations.

Australia has spent about about $700 million over four years on elite sport, less than half the kitty of European powerhouses Great Britain, Germany and France.